


Little Lion Man

by My_Dear_Watson



Category: Pirates of the Caribbean (Movies)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-07-22
Updated: 2017-08-30
Packaged: 2017-12-21 00:03:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/893456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/My_Dear_Watson/pseuds/My_Dear_Watson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set right after DMC. Will's plan of using his sister to help find Norrington and getting Davy Jones' heart back is foiled when James finds the one Will sent after him first. To protect himself, Norrington comes up with a fake name and volunteers to help on the hunt to find him. But of course, nothing goes according to any of their plans.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Arrangement

 

James Norrington walked out of Beckett's office with a satisfied smirk on his face. He had his job back, the very thing that made him who he was. He had been lost without it, and now he was whole again. He hadn't felt so relieved in ages. It had been so simple, too. All he had done was dumped the heart on Beckett's desk, and the man had drawn up the paperwork of his reinstatement. He was an Admiral now. He would get a new ship and men within the week, and then he'd be back to being a soldier. He could finally move on after everything that had happened. 

Still, a nagging voice persisted in the back of his head. He could've done it sooner. But he shouldn't have done it. Elizabeth would probably never look at him again. He fought against that new thought process. What did that matter? Elizabeth had made her choice in Turner. She had decided on being a pirate. She was the enemy now. She'd be among the names that he would have to hunt down. His stomach turned at that. He could handle betraying her, but taking her in? Taking her to the gallows? He suddenly doubted he could. Just imagining the walk to the noose suddenly derailed all the pride he had gained in those minutes. He suddenly felt lightheaded and swayed on his feet. He had just left her with a bunch of unsavory men as well. As much as he hated to admit it, he could leave her with Turner, she was safe with Turner- but he doubted she was safe with the others, and she and Turner were vastly outnumbered on that front. He tried to stop thinking about it. It wasn't his immediate problem, anyway. He'd just have to come up with a plan when it would come up.  He would have to find Groves to see if he had heard of anything or knew anyone. He turned one corner, only to collide with someone who had been running, almost sending them to the ground. He hardly noticed the one he had bumped into wasn't that lucky. "Watch where you're go…" he began, then stopped short when he saw that it was a woman who was on the ground after the impact. “Oh…”

The woman sent a hazel-eyed glare his way and sighed, shaking her head. "A syllable? That's all I get? Bloody men who think they own the streets..." She muttered to herself. She shoved the brown locks of hair that had fallen out of their updo back behind her ears and struggled to stand. She was clearly a commoner, but it was clear that she was trying to prove otherwise.

James mentally kicked himself and struggled for words to make up for his blunder. The time he spent on the wrong side of the law had already taken its toll, apparently.  He offered his hand, which she reluctantly took with her own muddy one. He pulled her up, put his hands on her shoulders to steady her, and then started to dust her off. "Forgive me. I wasn't watching where I was going," he started to brush off her clothing.

The woman scowled up at him, and batted his hands away.  She snapped. She started to dust herself off, taking extra care to get the mud off of her vest and skirt. She looked him up and down, focused more on his uniform than anything. "You Navy men are all the same, they think they own the damn place and make sure everyone knows it, too…" She muttered. "Each and every one of you..."

James frowned. “Should I be apologizing for the Navy or the male race?” he countered.

She glowered up at him, but she seemed to think better of it and looked away a moment later.

James frowned. That look- he had seen it before. "Pardon me, but… have we ever met? I don't believe I've ever seen you here in port."

The brunette shrugged and shook her head. "Not that I know of? I’ve been here my entire life. A passing glance on the road, maybe? During a drill? Coronation?”

James glanced around. He realized there wasn't much outside the Naval offices in the immediate area. It was hardly a place where she belonged, unless she was looking for trouble. “So what brings you to these parts?”

“Business. I’m doing a favor for my brother.”

“In this part of town?” James asked.

“What business is it of yours?" the woman countered. 

James couldn't help the small smile. He had barely known her and he knew she already had fire in her soul not unlike Elizabeth's. A relative, maybe? "You noticed I'm an officer. A woman comes by our offices unaccompanied, I'm inclined to ask." 

She studied him for a moment, then sighed and visibly tried to collect herself. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped before. This… favor’s important to me. And… I guess you could help me with it, couldn’t you?”

“What is it that you’re trying to do?” James asked, offering the crook of his arm, smiling when she reluctantly took it. He started to walk her down the path that led to the main part of town.

“It’s… I’m looking for someone. A Navy man, like yourself. He… he’s a traitor to my brother, and… well, I just need to talk something out with him. A trade or purchase… I don’t know.”

"Who is it that you're seeking, Miss...?" 

"Turner," she answered. "Anna Turner. I'm sorry, I should've led with that. 

James stopped short. No wonder she had looked familiar. The eyes, the same physical reaction of looking embarrassed. She was a Turner. And she was looking for a Navy man who had betrayed her brother. She was looking for him. He had barely paid attention to whatever she was saying, and his heart sunk further when he made out a hazy 'Norrington' in her explanation. He realized she had gone silent a few moments too late, and by the looks of it, she had been waiting for a response. What had Turner told her? And why was she in such a rush to find him? If it was a trade or purchase she sought out, she wanted the heart. It was too late for that. But if she was a Turner, he had an inkling that she would cause as much trouble as possible until she found what she was looking for. She couldn't know.  "I... I haven’t seen the Commodore in some time. I thought he was lost at sea…” He shrugged.

"So did all of Port Royal apparently. My brother told me otherwise. He's... mixed up with the wrong sort," she admitted. 

James wondered if she knew that 'the wrong sort' meant pirates or not. 

Anna was silent for a while, then stopped. "You know, I gave you my name, you didn't give me yours." She stopped walking, making him stop short to stand level with her. Her arm tightened around his as well.

James knew he could easily counter each method she used to keep him there. Instead, something told him to stay put. If this was Turner's sister, he could get information from her on Jones, Turner and Sparrow's whereabouts and whatever fight they would start. He searched through his memories for any family name whose people no longer lived in Port Royal, or only had distant relatives there. An old friend who had returned to England came to mind. "John Applegate." He glanced up the road. "Have you been successful at all in your search?" 

Anna studied him once more, and James feared she must've been onto him. Still, she looked away. "Not at all. Everybody still seems to be of the mind that he's died. His office and home have been lent out, there's not a single trace outside of old stories from drunkards at the tavern." 

"And why would you need my assistance with this?" he asked. 

She motioned at his jacket. "You're in the Navy. You'd know his face. I wouldn't," she explained. She nodded over his shoulder as a bunch of sailors came off one of the ships. "I planned on listening in for names, and then I was going to check the Eagle's Roost tonight. Having an officer with me might help me."

James arched an eyebrow at her. "Or scare off any leads you may find." The Eagle's Roost was hardly a place he would frequent, even so a Turner. It wasn't a place he expected a Turner to be in, either. He wasn't going to let a woman go in there alone, either. He scanned the crowd of soldiers as they disembarked, keeping his head low in the process. He glanced at each one of them. He could just as easily pin everything on one of them and be done with this. Something told him to keep up the ruse. The longer he was with her, the better of a shot he had on getting information on the pirates that could get him even further into Beckett's good graces. He shook his head. "I don't see him." 

"Fine then. Onto the Inn," Anna replied. She turned on her heel and practically marched down the path. 

James groaned to himself. Turner indeed. He hurried to catch up. It wasn't until that particular moment that he realized he had probably bitten off more than he could chew. 

 

 

* * *

 

Ten minutes later they had arrived, and the Eagle's Roost was even less welcoming than James had remembered. It truly only rivaled Tortuga with its caliber of patrons, stench and amount of clearly illegal proceedings going on. Still, Anna seemed to be fine with it all, huddled in a corner, watching the crowd. He had bought them both ales, more to give them a better chance at blending in than the one she had currently been ruining. He had picked the chair closer to the door in case anyone recognized him and he needed to make a quick exit as a last resort. He fiddled with his mug for a while, and when she paid him no mind, he leaned over.  "Do you expect to find them by glaring in their general direction, Miss Turner?” he called over the commotion. 

“It’s a start,” Anna shot back. “From the sound of it, this is the kind of place he would frequent." 

James looked away and shut his mouth firmly. What the Hell had Turner told her about him? He had thought he and Turner were actually doing pretty well, all things considered up until that last day. "I wouldn’t expect to see him in these parts, actually,” James replied. “Far too… rash of a clientele are here.”

Anna smiled. "Why didn't you mention that before, then? And that could be exactly why he would be here- to avoid being seen." 

 _Oh, if only you knew, you foolish girl_. James laughed and hoped it didn't sound as forced as he thought it had. “I’ve learned not to interfere with a determined woman. You’re better off getting a drink here to get some energy back and leaving immediately."

“I would if I was anything like these people. I wouldn't trust a thing in here,” Anna replied, then nodded at the center of the table. “Help me up onto the table, would you?" 

James blinked, confused for a moment, and then realized what she was getting at. He'd have to do so and then get as close to the door as humanly possible. He swallowed hard, then did as she asked him. 

She got proper footing on the table, then turned towards the bigger part of the crowd in the tavern. "Oi! Is there a James Norrington here?" she yelled.

James stepped back into the shadow of the corner when every single patron turned to look at the woman who had interrupted their fun. The music immediately died as well. 

James ducked his head and looked to see if anyone had looked his way, but all eyes were still on Anna. 

"No, but there's a room full of men here that could give you a run for your money if yer’ jus’ lookin’ fer’ a man!" one man yelled.

Cheers of agreement were heard throughout the tavern, and when a few of the more far gone men practically rushed their table, James offered his hand again. “Now you’ve done it. Come on, then!”

Anna grabbed his hand and jumped off the table, letting her lead her out of the tavern and the pair ran a few feet away, out, stopping behind a nearby boathouse. James peeked around the corner to make sure they weren’t followed, and when the coast was clear, he sighed, then frowned when he realized Anna had been laughing. “You’re laughing. You’re the second most reckless woman I know. We’re lucky those men were… lonely and not itching for a fight." 

"Oh please. I doubt any of that is true. They were all just drunk. Would've probably fallen over themselves if they didn't already," she countered. "And 'second most reckless woman', you say? Quite the statement from a man I've just met. Who's the first, your wife?" 

 _Wife of four days,_ he tried not to reply. "Sister, actually. And is that all you've done for your search? Started up nonsense like that?"

"Well, it's never quite ended that way, but more or less." 

James scoffed. "Then I'm hardly surprised you've been unsuccessful!" he objected. "Do you have any idea what he looks like?" 

Anna shrugged. “No one’s painted or drawn him, and I was never one for ceremonies… no, I just have the vague memory of a young boy from ages ago,” Anna replied.

James squinted. What was that supposed to mean? Had they known each other as children?

She didn't catch his confused look. "I might not have much to go on, sir, but I need to try. My brother and I... we've been through a lot. I can't fail him. I'll never forgive myself if I do." 

James' heart lurched at the sudden helpless look she had. Turner was always blind foolishness, arrogance and ignorance. Now here his sister was, apparently loyal to her bones, humble and determined. Everything that Turner needed to be. He hardly felt bad for lying to save himself trouble, but he knew that if they had met under different circumstances, he would've admired her. He did, even now. He needed to get away from her. “So what do you intend to do?” he asked. He hoped he could cut her off at the pass and tell her whatever she planned was a bad move. He could convince her to call the hunt off or let Turner handle it on his own, so he could wait the entire ordeal out.  It would be best for all of them. 

“At this rate? Keep in contact with my brother, go from port to port… he has to be nearby if he’s not here ,” Anna shrugged.

“And how do you plan to do that?” James asked. Well, now the odds were against her. He would be alright, after all. “All of the ships are signed off to the Navy, and I highly doubt any of the local captains would allow a woman such as yourself to order them to sail you somewhere.”

Anna arched an eyebrow at him, then smirked. “Well, thank you for your concern, but I’ve actually already have that covered.”

“Pardon?”

“I’ve hired a captain and a small crew for an old ship that was decommissioned from the Navy a while ago. Two other officers I know have been brought off of duty, and they've volunteered to come along and look for him. They're the only two around who have seen him in the last few months. You're welcome to come along if you don't have any immediate work to do," she said and gave his tattered jacket a pointed look. "Three people who at least know his face is better than none."

James frown deepened, but he collected himself once again. He could go with her. That meant keeping her on a wild goose chase, or knowing when to hide or who to threaten if someone did spot him. That did leave the two officers, though. Then again if Beckett had pulled them from duty, they were probably unscrupulous or dishonorably discharged. He could make a bargain if they knew him. Then again, if she met with Turner at any time, the ruse would be up then too, with no way around it. But that would mean that he'd have Turner and most likely Sparrow as the bargaining chip he had considered before. All he had to do was arrest the lot. The benefits had started to outweigh the risks. “Where to, Miss. Turner?” 

“WhY, where all old, washed up drunks who have outlived their glory days go to waste away?”

James swallowed hard. No. That was just… they would get themselves conned or robbed or killed.

“Tortuga,” Anna finished. 

James crossed his arms over his chest. “Are you sure that’s-“

“It’s all we have to go on, and that’s good enough for me,” Anna replied. “So, you're coming?”

“I've nowhere else to be,” James replied. Beckett was… patient occasionally. All he had to do was write Beckett about the situation and all would be well.  “So, who is this brilliant crew you’ve procured?”

“Samuel Wells, Alec Murtogg and Henry Mullroy,” Anna replied.

James clenched his jaw at the last two names. He wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. They hadn't been discharged and were hardly unscrupulous, but they were just... _themselves_. Sure, they hadn’t seen him so disheveled in years and they weren’t the brightest to begin with so he had little to worry about with recognition. However, them helping out did probably lower their life expectancy. He had signed up already though, so what was the point in fighting? “So… when do we start?” 


	2. Chapter 2

Will Turner frowned at the letter he had gotten when they made port two days prior. It had been a relief receiving it, having worried his and the others' gathering speed would interfere with getting the letters on time. He knew he had been asking a lot asking her to help him with his hunt for Norrington, but she accepted without so much as a second thought so good timing was the least he owed her. But now there was that name, John Applegate, that he didn't recognize, and that worried him. He spotted Elizabeth come up from below deck and clenched his jaw. He wanted to avoid her as much as he could after what he had witnessed last on the Dutchman, but now he needed her input. He sighed. "Elizabeth!"

Elizabeth smiled weakly and walked over. "Yes?"

Will held up the letter. "My sister's found an escort, but... the man's name is John Applegate. I don't ever recall dealing with an Applegate. Do you?"

"No, Applegate doesn't sound familiar to me at all." She caught Will's uncertain look. "You don't think it's Norrington...?" she began. 

Will shook his head. "I don't believe so, but... she seems to have thought of that herself, and... how she describes him fits..." he replied.

"Might I be as humble as to ask what be you two wondering about?"

Will and Elizabeth turned sharply and set matching glares towards the speaker.

Barbossa grinned back at them before walking over.

Will sighed in defeat and took the letter from Elizabeth before holding it out to him. There was no sense in hiding the letter or any part of its contents from the captain. The man could just as easily take it from them to find out if he got curious. "My sister's back in Port Royal, attempting to help us find Norrington, but... she may be in trouble."

Barbossa glanced at the name at the bottom of the letter, then let out a low chuckle. He had been half annoyed, half surprised when he found out that there was another Turner in Will's generation when he first heard about her. A female Turner, no less. Women always made for easier targets. If he had known about her existence months prior, he would have just kidnapped the girl, taken her blood, and been done with his task of ridding himself and the crew of the curse easily. However, God was never a merciful man for him, so he had to deal with fighting the woman's brother. "What trouble would that be? If she takes after you, I'm sure she'll solve the issue by ruining everything." He replied.

Will shrugged. "Hardly. She'll figure out what to do about the missing heart perfectly fine without any trouble. I imagine if she was in my place when we met, you may've been put through hell itself with the curse, but it would've been worse with my sister. If you toy with her, she assures that you pay. It might've been the equivalent to taking you through Hell twice or more," he replied.

"Is that so?" Barbossa grinned mockingly again. "I'll have to meet her someday and test that theory. She say anythin' else about our dear Commodore's whereabouts?"

"Not at all..." Will and Elizabeth replied simultaneously.

Barbossa frowned at the letter, read part of it, and then huffed in disinterest before tossing it overboard.

Will and Elizabeth started to stand up to object, but upon realizing it was a bad idea being that Will had already just crossed the boundary with obeying him, they settled down.

Barbossa offered another rotten smile, then turned around. "Jack!" He called, and his monkey came running from one of the riggings. He jumped onto Barbossa's shoulder, and the man walked away.

Will waited a few moments, and then leaned back. "I hate him. I would rather die then let her be subjected to this after what we've been through," Will snapped.

Elizabeth gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "He'll be gone soon enough. Worry about your sister first. We're taken care of here," she kissed his cheek and went off in her own direction.

Will watched her, and then glanced out at the water once again. He didn't understand why he hadn't left to go try and save his father on his own after Barbossa had shown up at Tia Dalma's. He didn't care for putting his trust in the man who tried to kill him months prior. Not to mention after Elizabeth's kiss with Jack, he wasn't even sure who he could trust anymore, next to his own kin. If it was one thing he knew, it was that when they got Jack back and when they saved his father, he was going to kill Barbossa... again. He looked down at the dagger that he had tucked in his his belt and heaved another sigh before glancing back at the water, and then the letter floating away at that.

Anna's loyalty and love to him was endless. It had been sheer luck that he had reunited with his sister as a child. Years ago, when Will was four and Anna was sixteen, his sister had left home to stay with her aunt and be educated with her cousins. Their mother had argued that Will was too young to travel. The parting lasted four years. That had changed when he was eight and Anna was twenty. The family's world crashed down that year. Their mother died, and Will had boarded a ship, looking for their father. The ship in turn, was attacked. Most knew the rest of the story- how Norrington, Gibbs, Elizabeth and the rest of the crew found him and took him aboard, then by some miracle- to Port Royal- exactly where Anna and their also-recently-passed aunt had lived. Anna found him and took him in, and the rest was history. He owed his older sister so much, but she didn't care, or didn't let it show. She just kept giving. He barely ever returned the favor for various reasons no matter how hard he tried to. This situation was no different. He felt horrible about it, but knew worrying would get him nowhere.

He shook his head, going back to his work. He knew if he was caught daydreaming, Barbossa could've just as easily had his head or thrown him in the brig. However, his hard work didn't last long. He couldn't dwell on it now, but there was plenty of time to do so in the future.


	3. Chapter 3

Henry Mullroy knew he wasn't the smartest man in his outfit. He had been told so time and time again, and the ones doing the telling were too stupid themselves to realize that he was aware of it himself. But what he felt he lacked in brains, he made up for in the skill of observation. That was precisely why the second latest addition to their crew was perplexing him so much. There was just something so familiar about the stranger he just couldn't put his finger on, and it was driving him mad. He spotted Murtogg attempting to untangle himself from the ropes he had accidentally walked into and figured two heads were better than one in figuring out the mystery. "Oi, Murtogg!" he whispered, motioning for him to come over.

Murtogg managed to free himself from the rope and walked over. "Yeah?"

Mullroy nodded at James. "What'chu make of Applegate? He seem a bit... dodgy to you?"

Murtogg looked from James and back. "Well, yeah, I suppose, but Annie did find the guy hanging around the pubs. He... well, he could be worse."

"Have you ever seen him around town, though? I've never even heard his name. It's like... I've seen his face, but I can't place him," he leaned over, "S'pose he wasn't tellin the truth..." he began. "I keep wonderin'..."

"About?" Murtogg asked.

"His name of Applegate, o' course!" Mullroy snapped. "You know, he did happen to show up right around when Norrington left, based on his story."

Murtogg caught on, then shrugged. "I don't think so, Mate. Timing and place is all wrong. Norrington should be on one of the islands we're getting to, shouldn't he? He couldn't have possibly made it back home yet."

"But it's just like that Jack Sparrow sayin' he was Mister Smith. If he was tellin' the truth he wouldn't have told us. You came up with that yourself, boy," Mullroy snapped.

Murtogg shrugged. "Who knows. Guess there's one way to find out, but we can't just ask and be done with it, can we?" Murtogg countered. "We'll wait 'til the timing's right, then we'll try and work something out of him... i-if there's even anything to work out, that is."

After a moment, Mullroy nodded. "Fine. Another thing Mister Sparrow said too then, huh? The opportune moment?"

"Exactly!"

* * *

 

  
Unknown to them, James had heard every word of the conversation from his spot at the helm. He was worried. He knew that the two imbeciles would probably take ages to work out just what the 'opportune moment' was, and then they would fail at figuring it out, but they had come that far- what else was stopping them? They were fools. Anna, on the other hand, was the smartest of the three, even if she was the only one who hadn't seemed to recognize him or be suspicious at all. He wondered how long it would take her to figure out the truth if he didn't start working on his story. But what else could be said? Who did he know enough to use their life stories? He looked up and offered a weak smile when he saw Anna come out from the ship's cabin. "Sleep well?"

Anna nodded. "Yes," she nodded at Murtogg and Mullroy. She walked over to the mast and he followed her. "I see they've managed to not drive you off course somehow,"

"You get used to them," James offered. That, after all, was the truth. He knew other officers who had hated those two. He at least tolerated them. 

Anna leaned over to address the other two. "What are you boys bickering about over there?"

The pair seemed shell-shocked for a moment before Mullroy smiled innocently, called out, "Nothing!" and then went right back to arguing with Murtogg.

Anna turned back to James. "So, Mister Applegate. How far out are we from our next destination?"

"About three days' time to Tortuga," he replied. "You think you'll find your man there?"

"One can only hope," Anna replied. "Look, I wanted to thank you for all this. It's not many who would just... drop everything for a task like this... who wouldn't laugh it off in my face, no less."

"A man who would laugh at a woman for a noble cause is a fool," James replied, smiling when she practically beamed at him. It faded, however, when his stomach gave a twist at the _trust_ he saw on her face, too. He flinched. That wasn't helping things.  "You'll find him, Miss Turner. I'm certain of that."

"I think it's fair you call me Anna by now, and I don't know what I'll do with myself if I don't find him," she admitted. 

"Then call me James," James replied, then leaned over to be level with her. "You really are devoted to your family, aren't you?" he asked. She was a woman who would do anything for her brother when her brother only seemed to care for Elizabeth. He made the thought stop short. It was endearing, and he hated Turner all the more for putting such weight on her shoulders. He didn't regret conning the woman, but he knew that there was so much to the woman that he couldn't help but sympathize. She was doing this because she cared and wanted a better life for her brother. He had been as determined as she was in his own hunt for Sparrow the second time around. 

Anna paused at the question, then shook her head. "I have to be. He's all I have. Our father left us when Will was a boy, my mother brought us to Port Royal, then died shortly after... the voyage didn't go in her favor. Our other family had ignored us because of rumors about my father... so it was just us, and it's been ever since," Anna explained, then smiled weakly. "What about you? What's your story?" 

James flinched at the familiar words, and part of him offered a bitter, _'The same as your story just a chapter ahead'_  all over again, because it truly was, but it was a step ahead instead of a chapter. "Similar to yours, I suppose. I came with my parents- the voyage wasn't good for my mother, either. My father was a Naval man... a typical Navy man, mind you: I didn't have much of a childhood before he was tossing me into practice to become a Navy man myself... I got switched around with ranks and thrown out of them often, now here I am," he replied. He didn't know why he had told her the truth all in one go.  

"Well, like I said I appreciate it," Anna replied. 

James nodded, then glanced at the horizon. "Are you sure that you want to try Tortuga? That place is the Eagle's Roost but worse. I'm sure we can try another place where people aren't constantly drunk and looking for a fight or a certain caliber of company." 

Anna shrugged. "Well, that's where they found him before, so that's where I'm trying first."

"There will be worse men around than the ones we found at the tavern," he pointed out. "They're _determined_ here."

"Well, that's why I have three men, a sword and a pistol with me, but thanks for the concern," Anna replied. "Besides, we have you, and you can probably pick Norrington of a crowd without any fuss, yes?" 

James looked back at her and found her offering a teasing smile at him.That same feeling from moments before came back. It was guilt, he realized. She was innocent in all this. He had no right to con her and be vile to her just because of the blood running through her veins. Now here she was, putting complete and utter trust in him. She was bound to find out soon. He looked away. "And if we don't find him there or the next place?" 

Anna's smile faded, and she looked down as well. "Then we'll work from there," she replied.

James nodded and fought back the guilt with more effort than he thought would have been needed, then motioned at the ship's wheel. Their captain had turned in minutes before and he had volunteered to take over, but it was best if they all knew what they were doing. "Come on, let's make sure that you actually know what you're doing in case we get caught in a storm or the like."  

* * *

After a couple of hours, James had gone into the cabin to get rest himself, and Murtogg and Mullroy took that as their opportune moment to get Anna investigating with them. The pair of them had stared at the cabin door for what felt like ages until they were satisfied James wasn't coming out before they had rushed over to her. 

"We don't think we like Mister Applegate!" Murtogg blurted. 

"Something's a bit off, we just know it!" Mullroy nodded. 

Anna glanced at the cabin door and then heaved a sigh. "What do you mean 'off'? Like he's a criminal? Well, he has to have done something of questionable legality to know Tortuga." 

"No, well, yes, but not just that!" Murtogg insisted. 

"So what...?" Anna began. 

"Neither of us 'ave heard of any Applegates in town for at least twenty years, Annie," Mullroy explained. "And the timing's a bit strange with you-know-who's disappearance." 

Anna frowned, but realization sunk in and she looked back at the door again. "You don't think...?"

"We don't know, but... there's enough doubt, isn't there?" Murtogg asked. 

"You can't tell us you haven't thought the same," Mullroy added. 

"I have, but I feel like everything's checked out," Anna shrugged. "I mean, that would mean he would have reason to lie, but..." she shook her head. "No sense in getting paranoid just yet, boys. Keep that in mind, but let's see what Will has to say about it, hm?"

The pair nodded after a moment. "Just be careful with him, will you?" Murtogg asked.

"Don't want our best girl gettin' 'urt," Mullroy nodded. 

Anna smiled and pulled them in for a hug before kissing both of their cheeks closest to her. "Of course I will. I don't want to worry my two closest friends. You two better do the same," 

They both nodded their approval. 

"Alright, now get back to work. If he's telling the truth there's no sense in getting him paranoid about us conspiring against him for some ridiculous reason." 

"Gotcha," the guards nodded, and the three parted ways quickly. 

The hunt was back on. 

 

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

James swallowed hard as he watched Tortuga get bigger and bigger on the horizon. The closer they got, the more real the entire situation got. The benefits that had outweighed the risks were suddenly evening out. Over the last few days, the others had made him feel welcome in their little group. Ironically, far more welcome than he ever had in the Navy. Murtogg, Mullroy and Anna had spoken about how they all had been playmates as children and had gotten into countless misadventures that had ended up in the men getting carted off into the Navy to prevent their antics from crossing an illegal line. It had lessened their time together, but they had always managed to stay in touch. James had offered genuine stories of his own childhood and all of the make-believe playing he had done with his siblings. He hadn't remembered the last time he had honestly laughed so much. It had made his heart ache at the fact that he was tricking them all over again. Towards the latter part of their trip he had tried to distance himself from the group for that exact reason. What he didn't count on was them being so bloody friendly. They sought him out nearly every time to make sure he was feeling well, or reminding him that they still had food left from the previous meal. The last day had been blissfully quiet. They all knew they were hours out from Tortuga, so tensions were very, very high. James knew he needed to get off the ship and away from them, even if it was only for a few hours. He couldn't get attached. He wouldn't let himself get attached. He leaned over the railing of the ship and realized that he needed to come up with various plans of escape or arresting them.

"Anna's pretty persistent, isn't she Mr. Applegate?" came Murtogg's voice from behind him.

He glanced over his shoulder at the man, then at Mullroy, who had been standing with him. Murtogg had that same, goofy unassuming smile on that he was hardly seen without. He had even started to find it less irritating than he always had. He looked towards the back of the ship. Anna was pacing with a letter that she had gotten the other day when they stopped for supplies. The way she seemed to be so engrossed in it, he was certain it was from Turner. He wondered if Anna had mentioned him and what Turner thought about it. He of all people would probably be suspicious enough to know something. Still, Anna had been looking it over for nearly an hour now and hadn't so much as looked his way. " "So it would seem, yes," he finally answered. He saw Murtogg's smile faded, and Mullroy had started to full on gape at him. it took him a moment to realize why. He had used the phrase he had used countless times around them. He hadn't changed his voice in the slightest. Something had clicked in the guard's head, and it showed.   _Idiot. You HAD to say that. You had to use that bloody phrase._

"You-it _is_ you!" Murtogg objected. 

Mullroy, on the other hand, just continued to gape, at a loss for words. 

James advanced on them, then yanked them forward by the jackets and turned so Anna wouldn't be able to see that he was holding them. It would just look like they were standing together. "Yes, it is. And this stays between us." 

"But why?" Murtogg asked quietly. "She only wants to find Nor- to find _you_ to get the heart back. It ain't like she's gonna try to kill you or nothing." 

"Considering she's William's sister and could sell me out to Turner, Sparrow and the others, what _she_ would do isn't my concern," James growled. "Now give me your word." 

Mullroy crossed his arms over his chest. "What do you intend on doing about Annie if the secret gets out?" 

James glared at him, fully prepared to point out he was giving a superior officer hard time, but stopped when all he saw was concern on the man's face. Murtogg wasn't much different. His own animosity immediately faded away. The slight fondness for her that had leaked into his own soul was telling enough. Murtogg and Mullroy were as much family to her as Will was, and it showed. Of course their main concern was how she would come out of this, and not that he was the man they were hunting. He could've told them anything so long as Anna got away without any trouble. He wondered what would happen if he told them differently... or if he was a crueler man. "Nothing. My problem isn't with her, it's with her brother and the others. She hasn't dwelled in piracy, if it gets out or I find Turner before it does, she goes free, as do you. Now: this stays between us," he repeated. It was the honest truth. She didn't deserve her brother's fate in the least.  

Murtogg and Mullroy exchanged glances, then nodded quickly. 

James released them, then turned when he heard Anna come up behind them. He smiled, and Murtogg and Mullroy tried to follow suit as best as possible. 

She didn't seem to pick up on the uneasiness coming from any of them. She punched James' arm playfully. "Alright, come on. We'll be at the dock in a couple of minutes. I want to get started right away." 

Sure enough, the very moment they had finished making anchor, Anna had hopped onto the dock and immediately went towards the nearest hill to gauge where to go to first. James followed her up and surveyed the area. It looked far different than it had during nighttime. It almost didn't even look like a festering hub of piracy and other mayhem. Either that or he had just imagined the nightmarish air the place had in his own drunken haze. He looked at Anna. "Where to?" 

"Same as last time. Try a tavern first, then an inn," she answered. She hesitated before she nodded at them to follow her, and she went down the hill towards the main part of town. Minutes later, naturally she had picked the tavern that James had spent most of his time in during his worst days there. He sidled to the back of the group and adjusted his jacket collar so it rose up over the bottom half of his face and made it look like he was interested in something in the back corner of one of the room. The only good thing was that it was early enough that only half the usual crowd was there, and they were behaving... for the most part. 

Anna had made her way over to one of the men behind the bar. "I'm looking for a friend of mine. Man owes me money. James Norrington?" she asked. 

The man frowned at her, then shrugged. "I don't know that name" the man replied.

Anna frowned. She reached into the bag she had brought and came up with a few coins. She set them on the table.

James wasn't sure whether to find that turn of events ridiculous, impressive or both. Perhaps he had at least some of her intelligence short. At least she knew how to deal with this set of people. 

"I've heard of 'em" the bartender restated.

Anna took out a few more coins and set them down.

The man took them. "Eh, Norrington stirred up a lot of trouble round these parts. Afraid you missed him by a few weeks" The bartender replied.

"Any idea of where he's gone?" Anna asked.

The man gave her a pointed look. 

Anna rolled her eyes and put more coins down. 

"Down the Port Royal area," the bartender replied. "Said he was going back to settle a score or som'mat."

Anna groaned. "Of course" she breathed. She got up and turned around. She looked at the other three, then huffed and immediately went out of the tavern. 

James looked the bartender's way, and the bartender happened to look back. A moment later, recognition dawned on the man's face. James reared back and all but shoved Murtogg and Mullroy out of the room and hurried after them before the bartender had a chance to shout. 

It took them a couple of minutes to find her. She was back by the docks. She had been pacing an indent in the dirt already.

James reached for her on instinct to steady her, but the warning look Murtogg and Mullroy gave him steadied his hand. Of course they would gain a backbone now of all times. Still, he listened. "Bastard. Waste all that coin for a lack of information."

"How could we have missed them? I circled the town countless times, I asked all the right people-"

James scoffed. "You think the drunkards are worthwhi-"

"I asked the Governor!" she cut him off and whirled on him for good measure. "He has an interest in the case because his family is involved. He hasn't seen him. Doesn't want to," Anna countinued. 

James flinched. He could handle Will hating him. He'd take pride in Sparrow hating him. He could come to terms with Elizabeth hating him. But Weatherby? Even if Elizabeth was removed from the equation, Weatherby had one of the few people he could genuinely call friends. The fact that the older man had apparently washed his hands of him hurt more than he expected. He realized his shoulders had slumped and looked down in guilt and scrambled to cover the slip-up. He cast a look at Anna to find she hadn't seen it. At least there was that. And then she stopped short, and James could hardly miss her lip quivering before she bit it and looked away again. The fondness for her reared its ugly head again, and he _ached_ to touch her this time around. It occurred to him that she wouldn't be so upset if he hadn't woven this complicated web, and it stung. "Then we check again," he said after a moment. He debated telling her then and there, and ending all of the grief that came with it. Still, he needed to bring Sparrow to justice. He needed to play along, just a little longer. "Someone has to know something." 

She studied him for a moment, then nodded. "Then let's go." 

* * *

They ended up docking in Port Washington days later. It had been a decent halfway point between destinations, and Anna had voiced a hunch that the others might have docked there within the last few days. James knew he had to lay low if that was the case. That alone had him searching the docks for the Pearl as adamantly as Anna was. They had checked the east docks three times over when Anna apparently gave up, sat down and sulked, staring at the water. 

Still, James recalled that there were docks to the west, and it wasn't until his conscience got the better of him that he pointed that fact out to her- and then led the way down towards the other docks. 

He was relieved for a moment, and then the guilt started to eat at him nearly immediately. He tried to will it away, but was unsuccessful. He swore under his breath. He waited for Anna to circle the area a couple of times. Once she reported the same thing he had found out, he motioned towards town. "Come on, then. Let's have a drink and work from there." 

"We need to-" 

"We need to _rest_ ," James cut her off. "Going off upset is hardly going to help."

"Is that an insult to my character, Mister Applegate?" Anna countered, but there was a teasing edge to it. 

"No, if anything, it's a compliment to your determination," James countered. He offered his hand to her. 

She took it and let him pull her up. She held his gaze for a moment. There was something in his eyes that she couldn't place. She didn't think much of it until she turned to walk away and he caught her arm again and pulled her back. She looked at him expectantly. 

"We will find him, Anna," he assured her. "He can't stay hidden for long." 

"I hope you're right," she answered, then walked down the path towards town. 

James watched her and had to physically turn away to stop himself from running after her and admitting everything. When he turned, however, he was met with looks from Murtogg and Mullroy that were no doubt trying to silently insist on doing just that."I'm getting to it," he deadpanned to them, then turned back and followed Anna before they could protest. 

He was surprised at the fact that he truly meant that sentiment entirely now. He just had to figure out how to tell her with as little damage as possible. 

That, he knew, would be the most impossible task he would ever encounter. 

 


End file.
